Regina council passes budget after 4 days of chaos, hard feelings and exhausting debate
Taxes on the average assessed home will increase by $237.48 annually
After four days of debate, Regina city council has passed its budget, voting on the document that sets property taxes for the upcoming year after repeated failed attempts to set a fifth day aside for more debate.
"People are tired, they're hungry, staff is here long days, Christmas is pressing. I'm prepared to call the question on the [budget]," said Ward 2 Coun. Bob Hawkins.
The budget passed 7 to 4 and came despite more councillors being registered to ask questions and potentially propose amendments.
Mayor Sandra Masters laughed when asked whether it was good public policy to pass a budget because people were tired and wanted to go home.
"I think when you read the tea leaves and see they have the six votes, that is what it is," she told media after the budget was passed.
The tension-filled relationships between Regina city councillors took centre stage during the debate as council slowly clawed their way to a 2.85 per cent mill rate increase on the city's capital and operational budgets and a three per cent increase to the utility rate.
The owner of the average home in Regina — assessed at $315,000 — will experience a $5.57 increase per month or $66.84 over the course of the year for property taxes, and an increase on utilities of $5.70 per month or $68.40 over a year.
A decision to transition all curbside services including garbage, recycling and food and yard waste collection to the utility bill means the owner of the average assessed home will pay an additional $8.52 per month. That's $102.24 over the course of the year.
In total, the owner of the average assessed home will now see their taxes increase by $19.79 a month or $237.48 over the course of the year.
Tensions flare
For four days, voices were raised, staff excoriated and council members descending into bickering over whether certain projects should be funded.
"You all make me sick. And this is politics, people. This is politics, and it makes me sick," said Coun. Terina Nelson, as debate turned to the funding of accessibility improvements to the nine-metre tall water slides at Wascana Pool.
At one point Masters temporarily turned off Nelson's microphone.
Masters would later tell media that she was very close to calling a vote to see the councillor removed.
"When we turn the microphone off and can get someone to lower their voice or change their tone then we can proceed," Masters said.
"It's really about we don't need people yelling, or swearing as the case may be."
WATCH| Regina councillor lashes out at proposed accessible waterslide budget cut
Nelson's outburst came as councillors attempted to find savings in order to limit the mill rate increase.
The construction of the accessibility improvement was ultimately referred to city administration for more consultation with the disability community.
Other dramatic exchanges include city manager Niki Anderson's lecture to council on the negative impact of "theatrics," and Hawkin's condemnation of secrecy around a proposed cold weather shelter.
Complexity means no easy answers
Many of the complaints from councillors over the four-day debate focussed on the complexity of the budget and how it is nearly incomprehensible to the normal resident and even to councillors.
Hawkins says the complexity and confusion was over the multi-year budgeting process and rising costs.
"Over the last three years we've had nothing but radical changes," Hawkins said.
Other councillors attempted to push back against the recommendations of city administration.
Ward 5 Coun. John Findura was ultimately successful in his goal of reducing the utility rate increase to three per cent from four.
He persuaded enough councillors to defeat an amendement from Ward 8 Coun. Shannon Zachidniak, who proposed a one-time rebate of $30 to utility bills.
City staff told council that Zachidniak's motion was their preferred method of reducing the utility bill since it would mean their capital plans would have to change.
Instead, Findura's plan means the utility would lose $31 million over the course of 25 years.
"This makes more sense to tell residents that this saves more on their bottom line," Findura said.
Findura's comment and the entire budget has to be put in the context of council being less than a year away from the next municipal election — set for Nov. 13, 2024 — meaning this budget will reflect heavily on the sitting council members who choose to seek re-election.
LISTEN| Regina city council gets back to budget debate after a few spicy moments last week
A cold weather shelter is on the way
During the debate over the capital budget, Coun. Stadnichuk moved a motion to increase the mill rate by 0.03 per cent or $187,000 to put more money toward the social development community partner funding program and advance work on the city's cold weather strategies.
That equates to an increase for the average homeowner's property taxes of $0.06 a month or $0.72 over the course of a year.
That program is allocated $1.7 million per year, although all of the money is currently designated in the budget.
Conversations at council indicate that city administration is currently in negotiations with a number of non-profits to operate a cold weather shelter.
Hawkins attempted to get administration to name the preferred non-profit partner, but staff said it was confidential at this time.
Carmichael confirms they have the space for a warming shelter but are dependent on other sources of funding for staffing.
The REAL problem isn't solved yet
A request from Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) for $6.44 million in order to address debt servicing and operational costs was only partially approved.
Council ultimately approved $5.7 million for REAL, after choosing to put $700,000 toward a request from the YWCA for the completion of their new facility.
The rest of the YWCA's $1.014 million funding will come from $300,000 redirected out of Economic Development Regina.
Council had been told on Thursday that the REAL request was reasonable and the bare minimum needed to continue operations.
Some councillors admitted that as a result of the decision council might need to provide the flagging municipal corporation with more funding mid-year.
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